Measuring can filler



Jan. 29, 19.24. 1,482,157

',r. sHlPLEY Y MEASURING CAN FILLER Filed June so. 192s 2 sheets-sheet n JWM gnve'nkoz Jan. 29 1924.

T. SHIPLEY MEASURING GAN FILLER 2 -shaers-snm- Filed June so. i925 fluor ugs "to/Figs. 2 and 3; v

Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

.PATENT OFgFiCs.

THOMAS SHIRLEY, OF Yon-K, rNNNsYINANIA.

`MEAsURr'NGf CAN runnin i Application ined June 30,1923. l serial No.i 6478,813.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHIPLEY, a citizen of the United States, ,residing at York, in the county `of York and State 0f Pennsylvania, have `invented. certain new can'filler of the float controlled, semi-automatic type.

. Thedevice is intended to deliver meas-A ured charges of prey-cooled water into the freezing cans in a can ice plant and though available for other uses, possesses particu. lar utility in this field because. of the special requirements to be met. i

In such plants the water is commonly d1stilled or chemically treated, to purify it, and is then pre-cooled nearly to the freezing point. Hence this watery as it arrives at the can filler has considerable intrinsic value and should be protected against heat absorption and, needless Waste. The'requirements of storage impose close limits on the size of the ice blocks and hence demand accurate measurement.' Rapid operation is' essential to preclude losses by'heat absorp-v tion and to meet Occasional peak` demands.A Rough usage and the customary use .ofI

cheap labor demand rugged construction and the utmost attainable simplicity. K.

These conditions I have met by the use yof a pluralityof measuring chambers ar-7 ranged to have a common overow into a-V *all horizontal and are all at the same horifloat chamber. The accumulation of a substantial quantity of water in the float cham-"f ber automatically cuts ofi' the feedtothe measuring chambers. The partsare so arranged that the water accumulated .in the yfica-t chamber is withdrawnv and fed tothe measuring chambers on the next succeeding filling thereofl Hence no water. iswasted. The only moving parts arey an'ordlnary float valve, an ordinary check valve, and a series of connected three-way valves, one fOr each measuring chamber.

A preferred embodimenty of the invention t for the purpose mentioned and designed to fill three cans at one time isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an end elevationfof the 'complete device, looking from the left with reference 'Fig. 2 is la omitted; and

Fig. 3 is a kvertical longitudinal section with the supports partly broken away.

The measuring device proper is supportred on' a platform 5 which rests on pipe t stanchions 6 above a drip pan 7 which may be connected to a drain if desired.

Also'mounted above the drip pan 7 is a row of slightly elevated can supports 8, one for each can@ The cans 9 rest on these supports in position to be engaged by the lower ends of corresponding can dumps 10 which are pivoted on a rod 11 carried by the upstanding brackets or frames 12.` M The parts so far described aremerely ancillary features subject to considerable variation. The arrangement described is preferred because ityprovides asingle station where the cans are dumped and then refilled without intermediate handling. f

rectangular tank y13 rests on an insulating layer 14 of cork board, which in turn is supported bythe platform 5. The sides of the tank '13 are insulated with granulated cork 15 confined by .tongue and groove sheathing A16.

:The tank 13 is divided by three partitions 17 into four chambers, three of which, indicated by the reference numeral 18, are measuring chambers ofequal volume, and the fourth of which, indicated by the reference plan view Vwith the drip pan numeral 19, `is .the so-called float chamber.

y zontal level a few inches below. the top of the tank 1350 thatwhenr the chambers 18 yarefall filled a rcommon overflow is afforded over the tops -of the partitions to the fioat chamber 19.

f 'Mounted in'thefloat vchamber 19, preferably about 'half way between the top and bottom thereof, isa float 20 mounted von ay vertical rod 21. The rod'21 is guided at its lower end by'r afloat [guide 22 and is pivoted fat Iits upper endto a float lever 23. The -float lever 23 is pivoted on a bracket `24 supported by the tank 13 and is connected by avalverod 25 to operate the valve y1nemyber of a floatvalve 26. The parts are so arranged that they rise ofthe float v20 closes the 1'valve26., v t y Th'e-'fvalvef26 receives water through a sponding VVstems oi the three valves yare#"aligned and each Vvalve 1s so `constructed thatit serves to connect the corresponding"measuring chamber v418 through a nipple 31-alter- `natively with' the manifold 1.28 or with a. corresponding discharge spout '32 according.

to the'positionof the valve plug. v

The variousjdi'scharge spouts 32 are 'so @lor-ated as to discharge Water tromperieltle.' .chambers-V 18 or 19.

"spending measuring chambers 18 into corre- 'spending,icel cans 9. The valvefstems 30 extend lthrongh lthe'i'fa-lves 4and the.v stems -"'-..O'.t adj aeent valves a'reconnected togetherV yby' the' interengagement'of the curved` arms the nipples y3.1.

handle 35. v l

The nipple ileads from tlie'bottom of theiloatchambr 19 tofa check valve37 ,Wl-iich opens in thedire'ctionof flow from the njieasuring chamber 19k and closes against reverse iloiv., 'l`he cheek valve. 37 discharges through a-45 lY-litting 38 into al 'comp'onent'part of yt'he'manifold and is interposed bet-Weengthe-loatvalve 2,6 and.

chambers 18.tothe spouts 32. and restoring the three-Wayvalves'29.

Thefitting 3.8 is so Yarranged that fthe flow. from ,theiloat chamber int-@"tliefYLi-itn ting is in the general direction of; f iow through' the 4manifold 28 to the measuring vchambers 18. `This produces. an ejector effect caused `by rapid flow of Water vin the ina-nifoldf28 and acting to withdraw Waterfrom 'the float chamber 19;

An overflow connection 39 leads from the float chamber 19 and is arranged'togoperate only it the jc'hamber .19 is 'filled `to, the'top of the kpartition 17 .Y This overiiow does notffunction vin the ordinary operationof the vdevice but is designed tofoarry oli" eX- cess Waterii *the Yfloat 2O` shouldj fail to close the valve'26. For this-reason the.

fincludes very Vfew/moving parts. The tank gisninsulated to prevent lthe absorption of .heatbut it iscontemplated that the measuring 'chambers Willnotbe filled until just before .the-time when theV Water is needed chambers are nearly filled byfflowthrough the 'manifold 28, the .threeway va1ves29 and The v measuring cha v (bos 18 substantiallysimultaneously lfand the levels in .o

the diferent chambers lWill tend toltequalize beca-useffef ffl'oW,` overfthe tops `of7.5-partitions three-Way valve 29. The valve 17 if any chamber fills in advance oi` the others. At or about the time that all the overflow into the chamber 19 and as the Water rises in the chamber 19 a level Will Vbe"reached"suiliciently high to raise the float A2O and close the valve 26.

Under Vthese conditions the back .pressure inthe manifold 28 caused by the static .ingdevicexmay be allowed to stand with fthe valvehandle 355in itsforward position Without danger off anyl change ot'level in In the meantime ra grop'o'f ice filled cans `will have been fplaced on. the can .supports. 8, will-have b'eenf'du'mi'pedonthe.can dumps 10, and

then-`-re`stored in lan empty condition kto V"position'on the can supports 8.y

..The valve handle 85 is then swung to the "rear position'shown'in' dotted lines in Fig. 5.1. VThis cutsoiftheeonnection `from the nian'ifold .28 i to the measuring chambers `18andf 'places these; chambers in direct Communication 'with the discharge spouts 32 .so..that. each. measurlng chamber vdis- .chargesi'ts measured contents into a corresponding canl 9..

Asfsoon as vthe .measuring chambers 18 have emptied, the `valve handle vis again fswung to its vi'or-Ward position cutting off the'r communication from `the measuring ommu'nication rrom'tliemanifold 28 to the variousmeasuring chambers 18 VThe rapidlow through the manifold 28 assistedby the 'static `head in the chamber `19 yi'nduc'esa.rapid flou7 of yWater from vthe float cli-amber .19 through the checkv valve 37 andrfginto the mani-fold 28. This flow is v .sufficiently rapid to drain the float chamber 19 completely or substantially7V so before the risingfstatio head inthe measuring chambers 18 exerts suiiicientnback Apressure to operationsabove described is Vrepeated for to fill a group orleans. To secure satisvfactory operation Vin this. Way, all the Water .passages are made large so that the How `.togtlie chambersfis rapd... Y

What is `claimedis:y

i1.- Inaliquidmeasuring device4the com- -bination of :a measuring Lchamber having an overflow 5 a valve mechanism-5 ys ervingto control the alternate filling and emptying of said chamber; means operable by liquid passing said overflow and serving to terminate the filling flow to said chamber; and a connection controlled by said valve mechanism and serving to return the overflowed liquid to the measuring chamber as the latter starts to fill.

2. Ina liquid measuring device, the combination of a measuring chamber having an overflow; a valve mechanism serving to control alternate filling and emptying of said chamber; an overflow receptacle adapted to receive the liquid overflowing from said chamber; means controlled by the accumulation of liquid in said receptacle serving to cut off the supply of liquidl from the source to said valve mechanism; and a check valve arranged to permit flow from the overflow receptacle to the chamber under the control of said valve mechanism, while preventing reverse flow.

3. In a liquid measuring device, the com* bination of a measuring chamber having an overflow and a discharge; a valve mechanism serving in one condition to direct liquid from a source to said chamber and close said discharge, and in another condition to open said discharge and shut olfv the supply of liquid to the chamber; an overflow receptacle adapted to be fed by the overflow from said measuring chamber; an automatic cut-off' for the liquid flowing from said source to said chamber and operable by the accumulation of overflow liquid in said re ceptacle; and means for draining said over-4 flow receptacle into said measuring chamber after the latter has been emptied and while it is being refilled by liquid from said source.

4. In a liquid measuring device, the combination of a plurality of measuring chambers each having an overflow and a discharge; a valve mechanism serving in one condition to direct liquid from a source simultaneously to all said chambers and close the discharges from said chambers, and in another condition to open said discharges and shut ofi' the supply of liquid to said chambers; an overflow receptacle adapted to be fed by the overflows from said measuring chambers; an automatic cut-off for the liquid flowing from said source to said chambers, and operable by the accumulation of overflow liquid in said receptacle; and means for draining said overflowed liquid from the receptacle into said measuring chambers after the latter have been emptied and while they are being filled by liquid from said source. v i

5. In a liquid measuring apparatus, the combination of a measuring chamber having an overflow; an overflow receptacle adapted to receive the overflow from said measuring chamber, and in communication Withsaid chamber through a passage; means preventing flow through said passage to- Ward the overflow receptacle; a source of liquid supply; a delivery connection; an automatic valve controlling said source and arranged to be closed by the rise of liquid in said receptacle; and a valve mechanism controlling said passage, and communication between said automaticv valve, said chamber and said discharge connection andarranged in one position to open said passage and simultaneously open communication from said automatic valve to said chamber While closing the discharge connection and in another position open the discharge connection and close the others.

In testimony whereof" I have signed my name to this specification.

rHoMAs sinPLEY. 

